Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Who was Ruth Heflin?

As my last post of 2007 I decided to post a prophecy by Ruth Heflin about the glory of God - that we heard at "Grace and Glory" in Hong Kong. She prophesied; "I MUST have a people who can move in My glory". I am grateful to my dear friend Don for giving me some more information about this servant of God and some links to two key books by Heflin.

Don wrote in a comment to me;

"How amazing that Rob knew Ruth Ward Heflin! She was from a Pentecostal family in Virginia, who founded Calvary Pentecostal Tabernacle Campground in Ashland, just north of Richmond. (See www.calvarycampground.org/history.htm)

During the 90s renewal, Ruth wrote several well-received books on the Glory of God, with which she was intimately familiar. These books, especially "Glory" and "Revival Glory," are very helpful in understanding how to experience and minister under the anointing of the Spirit.You can now download "Glory" and "River Glory" in PDF at the website!

Ruth had a lot of experience throughout her life in conducting spiritual warfare and evangelism through corporate worship -- yes, evangelism through worship! She described how regular and sustained worship is the highest form of warfare and so necessary to open spiritual doors so the hearts of the unsaved will hear the gospel when it's presented to them.

I saw Ruth minister in 1997 at a conference; she was a bit eccentric but on fire for God and obviously way beyond me in experience with God. How wonderful that she is still influencing us here on earth".

The website link is here and there is some biographical information about her. Apparantly the making available of her two books; "Glory" - and "Revival Glory" - and "River Glory" - was her own decision and of her own desire. I hope to make these books next on my reading list and will review them as soon as possible. Why did she do this?

"Because the time is short".

I've found another web page - "Father's Glory" - with a great deal of audio and video files by Ruth Heflin. A number of files are of her singing prophetically. Some are spiritual songs that she wrote. Some are of her speaking - one particularly is called "Waves of Glory Conference" in Charlotte NC in 1999.

As Don said; "She is still influencing us here on earth". Why does God in His extravagant mercy and abundant love allow these pioneers ministry to be preserved (and sometimes hidden for us to find like a treasure hunt?!)? I really believe that it is to spur us on, to make us more passionate and more focused in hunting down the glory! As God spoke to myself and Pete just before Christmas, we are not to exalt these pioneers to pedestals they didn't want (that includes Ern Baxter, Ruth Heflin, anyone!) Their ministry is a platform for us to go further. As C H Spurgeon said;

"Upward to heaven - nearer to God!".

4 comments:

lydia said...

Dan thanks for putting this up, and Don thanks for your part....
I started reading "Glory" -can I just say...LOVE IT!!
Why did I spend so many years read "how to be more holy books" when I could read about amazing peole, such as Ruth Hefflin......sigh...God will redeem the years..!!!!

Dan Bowen said...

Yes amen Lydia! One thing Rob Rufus said that really hit me in Hong Kong was how EASY repentance becomes when the glory of God falls. When God really manifests Himself, it won't be particularly a question of resorting to legalistic ways to mortify sin! We simply will not EVER EVER want to sin because it will be grieving to our manifest Beloved Father!

Like you say - why spend so much time reading "How to be holy" books? John Piper once said the reason why we don't live as holy as we should sometimes is because we aren't in love enough with God.

God will indeed redeem the years! Amen amen!! :)

Anonymous said...

I was interested to read your comments on Ruth Heflin. She was involved with the Catholic Charismatic movement in southern England in the 1980s when I was a new Christian. I met her a few weeks after being baptised in the Holy Spirit and she spoke prophetic words to me about things she could not have known. I found her to be 100% in love with Jesus, and without hype. It upsets me greatly to see web sites speaking against her, especially since she refused to speak against anyone, and her wonderful message on unifying glory shows this aspect of God's heart.

Anonymous said...

I used to stay with the community she led in Ragheb Nashishibi in East Jerusalem. They thought I (20 yrs old) was an old fogey from the Plymouth Brethren but they were loving and supportive and helped me and many others. Occasionally a Rabbi would come to the side gate with an appointment to see her. May her memory be for a blessing;